School system changed exam schedule after last year’s snowfall

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- School districts across Central Virginia are monitoring the forecast as the first winter storm of the season is expected to impact parts of the Commonwealth Sunday into Monday morning.

While school leaders have not made any decisions on possible cancellations or delays for Monday, Henrico County Public Schools Spokesperson Andy Jenks said changes were already made to this year's exam schedule based on last year's heavy snowfall that resulted in seven missed school days.

"We moved our midterm exams for high school students to a week in December in hopes of avoiding complications from winter weather and low and behold exam week is happening apparently after a storm that might hit us this weekend," Jenks said.

However, even with uncertainty, Henrico officials feel confident that exams will still take place next week.

In Chesterfield, high school exams are scheduled to begin on Friday, Dec. 14.

Last year, Chesterfield and other school districts made up snow days through holidays and by extending half days.

Parents said they are bracing for what could be a repeat of last year.

"I hope they don't, but if we do have another snow day, those make up days and school holidays and teacher holidays those need to be make-up days," one mother said.

Officials from most area school districts said they feel confident going into another winter that enough instructional time has been budgeted into the school year.

"We’ve had years in the recent past, at least in my tenure, where we had 11 snow days and still been OK as it relates to the minimum number of hours that we have for the year as dictated by the Commonwealth of Virginia," Jenks added.